OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 25: Jonathon Simmons #17 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket against Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors on October 25, 2016 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)Noah Graham/Getty Images

Spurs G Jonathon Simmons Once Paid $150 to Try Out for D-League

Rivea RuffOct 26, 2016

Jonathon Simmons, the San Antonio Spurs' latest breakout star, caused a buzz Tuesday night with some seriously humbling plays against the Golden State Warriors. This is the same player who once paid $150 for a chance to try out for the team's D-League affiliate Austin Spurs.

Simmons took a winding road to the NBA. The player went through two junior college teams before hitting the court for the University of Houston. Eager, he declared for the NBA draft after his junior season in 2012, yet went undrafted. Next came a yearlong stint with the ABL.

Michael C. Wright of ESPN noted back in February that Simmons then went digging into his pockets to pay the registration fee for a tryout with Austin. He spent the next two years there proving himself before earning a spot on San Antonio's NBA Summer League team. A strong showing there eventually led him from his $20,000-a-year salary in the D-League to a two-year, $1.4 million contract with the Spurs...and to embarrassing the crap out of Steph Curry last night: